#122: Re: Cache of letters Author: Luca, Location: Terni - ItalyPosted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 7:18 pm ----I saw from Pagine Bianche there are a pair of Dragotta in Belmonte Mezzagno (and one is called Stefano, like one of the Tano's child). If you want I can try to have a talk with them to know if they are Tano's relatives.
What about?
Ciao
Luca

#125: Re: Cache of letters Author: tjbrn, Location: North CarolinaPosted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:41 am ----Luca,
Thanks for looking into that connection. When I checked the Pagine Blanche link I noticed that the spelling of the surnames was different from Tano's. The names listed ended with an "a" instead of an "o".
Looking ahead to the remaining letters, Tano does mention the names of his children. Stefano is married but apparently has no children. Another boy, Pietrino is unmarried. The oldest daughter, Giuseppina, has two boys with another child on the way. Two other daughters are unmarried: Rosetta and Bettina (could be Rettina). Angelina Greco is the granddaughter, I think, of one of Tano's sisters and she is listed at the address -- 31 Piazza Garibaldi in Belmonte. Tano's sisters are mentioned as well: Stefana, Grazia, Concettina (who has died). Other sources indicate there was another sister, Grazia, who was the first child and died and another sister named Filippa.

#127: Re: Cache of letters Author: tjbrn, Location: North CarolinaPosted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 12:09 pm ----According to information I've received from Belmonte Mezzagno the surname is Dragotto. Images from microfilm also bear this out as well. Tano's grandfather, Ignazio Dragotto was born in Palermo but married Grazia Pizzo in Belmonte. I am currently awaiting the arrival of additional information I've requested from both Belmonte and San Giuseppe. I am afraid I do not have enough information to narrow the list and focus on one specific name that is on the list. What does "BAR" signify in the listing of the Dragotto's?

I phoned again at Giuseppa Dragotto and she told me that because of an error at the "Stato Civile" almost all the Dragotta and Dragotto in Belmonte are relatives, but she (and her mother - 85) don't remember nobody called Tano or Gaetano Dragotta.
I left her my phone number: if she will be able to find out something, she'll recall me.

I phoned again at Giuseppa Dragotto and she told me that because of an error at the "Stato Civile" almost all the Dragotta and Dragotto in Belmonte are relatives, but she (and her mother - 85) don't remember nobody called Tano or Gaetano Dragotta.
I left her my phone number: if she will be able to find out something, she'll recall me.

Luca

WOW Luca! That was so nice of you to call for Tom! (by the way, I love the picture of the bar!)
Tom: It was actually more common than you realize to have the same family go by different spellings. I have come across many examples in my own grandfather's town.

#130: Re: Cache of letters Author: tjbrn, Location: North CarolinaPosted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 1:49 pm ----OK So a BAR in Belmonte is the same as a BAR in the US
Thanks for all of your efforts, Luca. We might be able to get a better response from the Dragotto's if we met them in that BAR and plied them with our charm and other libations

I found Tano's granddaughter. Now she lives in Torino. She was so kind with me, also if she didn't understand why I was asking her such things. I told her to visit this site: hope she'll do it! (she also asked me about you, Tom, but I wasn't able to give her such informations!)
She said her grandfather (Tano) spent last part of his life in Torino, and there he died. It's almost impossible (she said) that Ignazio's letters have been stored; it's nearly sure they were lost during the relocation (if not before).
I gave her my number: maybe she'll phone me back.